This invention relates to user identification systems and, in particular, to a user identification system that improves the speed of operation of a voice print system without reducing the accuracy of the voice print recognition process to provide fast, highly reliable and accurate user identification validation.
It is a problem in user identification systems to provide a balance between the accuracy of the user identification validation process and the speed of operation. Many user identification systems comprise simple password systems, where the user provides a password, or keypunches in a multi-character alphanumeric code to obtain access to the system. Such systems are subject to unauthorized users thwarting the security by means of a number of well known xe2x80x9ccode-breakingxe2x80x9d procedures. Thus, convenience of use is paramount in such systems and security is a secondary consideration.
Where additional security is required, more stringent user screening methods are provided. For example, a high degree of security is desired to prevent unauthorized access to a secure facility or to a computer/data storage system in such a facility that contains highly confidential or sensitive data. A user wishing to access such a facility or computer/data storage system must have their identity validated in a highly reliably manner. The most accurate forms of positive user identification involve the determination of an immutable physical characteristic of the user, which characteristic is unique to the user. Such systems include: retina scan systems, voice print identification systems, fingerprint identification systems, and the like. However, it is a problem that such system require a significant amount of time to perform the user identification processing.
A voice print identification system is a particularly effective user identification system since the user validation process is highly accurate and positively identifies an individual based upon the use of a predetermined user provided identifying phrase, while the user does not have to be physically present at the secure computer/data storage system to obtain access. In particular, the user initially inputs a predetermined spoken phrase into the voice print identification system for use as the xe2x80x9cbenchmarkxe2x80x9d against which all future user accesses are measured. Each time the user wishes to access the computer/data storage system that is protected by the voice print identification system, the user must speak the predetermined phrase into the voice print identification system, where it is compared against the stored benchmark phrase. The user can provide this voice input over a call connection on a telecommunication network to thereby obtain remote access to the secure computer/data storage system. The voice print identification system is immune to variations in the user""s voice and cannot be thwarted by imitators. A difficulty with such a system is that when there are numerous users, the time required to sequence through the large number of stored benchmark phrases and perform the voice print identification process is time consuming and can increase the response time of the voice print identification system to an unacceptable level. This problem prevents voice print identification technology from being practical in the field of remote access systems, where the user accesses the desired system via a telecommunication network voice connection, and there are very large numbers of users who initiate frequent accesses to the desired system.
The above-described problems are solved and a technical advance achieved in the field by the present system for improved voice print identification that uses a multiple step voice activated user identification process. This system divides the user identification validation process into at least two steps: presorting the prestored user identity validation data based upon a user provided voice input to produce a subset of user identity validation data, and processing the identified subset of the user identity validation data using a voice print identification system. This system implements the multiple step user identification validation process by converting a user provided voice input into a text stream, which is used to sort through the stored user identity validation data to create a subset of stored user identity validation data that comprises one or more of the data entries that likely correspond to the user provided voice input. The voice print identification system is then activated to compare a user provided voice input to the selected subset of stored user identity validation data to validate the identity of the user who is requesting access.
This multiple step user identity validation process can be implemented in a number of ways. The user can input a single voice input, which voice input is used for both a sort key and a voice print identifying phrase or the user can input separate sort key and voice print identifying phrases. In either case, the sort key is stored and converted by a voice to text conversion system into a text string. The text string is then used by the system for improved voice print identification to sort through the stored voice print data to locate the one (or a small subset) of the stored voice print identification phrases that use the sort key. The second step of this process uses the voice print identification phrase to verify the identity of the user. Thus, by using a user provided sort key, the voice print identification process must process only one or at most a small number of stored voice print identification phrases to complete the user identification validation. In addition, multiple layers of security can be provided wherein a separate user provided voice input is required for each level of security that is traversed. Alternatively, the user provided voice input can be used by the system for improved voice print identification as a routing mechanism to direct the user to one of a plurality of destinations which the user is authorized to access. Thus, the system for improved voice print identification would store multiple sort keys and/or voice print identification phrases to enable a one to many routing of the user to authorized destinations.
This capability of the system for improved voice print identification enables the use of voice print identification as a user validation process in the field of remote access systems, where the user is connected to the remote access system via a voice connection on a telecommunication network, data network, or Internet. The user can be prompted to speak the sort key, such as their name, into the telephone, and then their unique voice print identifying phrase to thereby obtain secure access to the desired system. This eliminates the need for account numbers or typed passwords, that can be misappropriated by unauthorized users to gain access to the desired system. This system for improved voice print identification also enables the creation of xe2x80x9cvoice calling cards,xe2x80x9d simpler access to all private user services, as well as simple access to services by the visually impaired or many other types or impaired users, since the entire access routine is voice activated. Furthermore, the system for improved voice print identification can be used for hands free communication applications, such as clean room communications, or voice activated premises access control systems.